Golf club



Sept. 17, 1935. YOUNG I 2,014,32Q

GOLF CLUB Filed April 24, 1933 INVENTOR Leo/70rd 70am ATTORNEYQ PatentedSept. 17, 1935 FATENT OFFICE GOLF CLUB Leonard A. Young, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 24, 1933, Serial No. 667,565

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in golf clubs, particularly theheads of wood clubs.

In the manufacture of golf club heads of wood great care must beexercised in the selection of 6 the material in order that the completedclub shall have the requisite strength, and the choice of materials inthe manufacture of wood golf club heads is very restricted.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, 'to provide a. golf club head structure "comprising a wood bodyportion in which such body portion is so reinforced and supported thatthe tendency or likelihood of splitting and warping when subjected toplaying conditions, such as moisture and variations in temperature, islargely overcome or minimized.

Second, to provide an improved golf club head having these advantageswhich may be economically produced.

Third, to provide an improved golf club head employing wood or otherfibrous material in which the wood portion of the head is effectivelyprotected. 7

Fourth, to provide an improved golf club head in which the bottom is soconformed that the tendency of the stroke to be deflected whencontacting with the ground is minimized, and one in which the club isencouraged to follow through after coming in contact with the ground.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of my invention willdefinitely appear from the description to follow. The invention isdefined in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is clearlyillustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved golf club, the shaft beingconventionally shown and partially broken away.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section from front to rear on a linecorresponding to line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of the sole plate of the embodimentshown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the accompanying drawing the body portion l of the head is formed ofwood and is provided with the integral hosel 2 receiving the shaft 3.The body is conformed to provide the striking 5 face t and is suitablyshaped, presenting the curved surface 5 at the heel and the curvedsurface ii at the nose of the club.

The wood head portion has a flat bottom surface 1 with grooves 8therein, these grooves in the preferred embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and2 being disposed in parallel relation and longitudinally of the head,that is, in the direction from heel to toe. One of the grooves ispreferably quite close to the striking face and the other well towardthe rear. These grooves are inwardly tapered, that is, of inwardlytapered transverse 5 cross section, and have curved bottoms as indicatedby dotted line in Fig. l. The apex of the grooves is preferably in thevertical plane of th center of the striking face.

The sole plate Hi, preferably a die casting, has 10,; ribs or flanges Hwhich are a close fit in these grooves, the flanges being tapered incross section so that theymay be driven into the grooves with a wedgingaction. The sole plate is clamped to the body by means of a screw li, asingle 5;, centrally disposed screw being shown, as the ribs or flangesavoid the necessity for several screws although it will be understoodthat these screws may be arranged as desired.

The front edge l3 of the sole plate is of sub- 20 stantial width andlies in the plane of the striking face of the club head. The bottom ofthe sole plate is preferably convexly curved as shown, it being curvedboth longitudinally and transversely and its curvature merging into thecurved 25 surfaces 5 and 6 of the body. 1

With this arrangement of grooves and flanges the sole plate is not onlyeffectively attached to the body to sustain shocks resulting from thesole plate coming into contact with the ground but 30 the strain of suchshocks upon the body is minimized. A further and perhaps more importantfeature is that the body is reinforced sothat its tendency to Warp andcrack or check is largely overcome. 35

The body member is preferably treated with a waterproofing material, andthis preserves its condition,

When formed of wood, as is my practice, the wood is, as stated,preferably treated with a waterproofing material. With such treatment,and strengthened and reinforced by a sole plate in accordance with myinvention, various kinds and grades of wood may be used, whereas, atpresent the highest grade of wood, and very restricted in choice, isused.

By providing the club bodies with sole plates embodying my inventionthey are prevented from checking and warping and breakage. Theattachment of the plate is such that the strains of impacts therein aredistributed throughout the head and there is very little strain on theretaining screw or screws, so the tendency to loosen the screws in useis minimized. The face of the sole plate minimizes the tendency of thehead to dig into the ground, with the result that the club head willmore freely follow through.

The sole plates are preferably formed as die castings so that a veryperfect fit can be had for the flanges with the grooves which aremachined into the head; further, control and uniformity of weight isassured and the desired amount of weight can be provided in the soleplate, eliminating the necessity for back weights.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in embodiments which Ihave found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate otherembodiments or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure willenable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt the same as may bedesired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A golf club head comprising a wood body having a striking face and afiat bottom surface with parallel transversely tapered grooves disposedlongitudinally of the head and having longitudinally curved bottoms, theapex of the grooves being in approximately the plane of the verticalcenter of the striking face, a sole plate having ribs conformed to andfitting within said grooves, the forward edge of the plate being ofsubstantial width and flush with the striking face of the body, thebottom of the plate being curved transversely and longitudinally of thebody, the plate covering the entire fiat surface of the bottom of thebody, and means clamping the plate to the body.

2. A golf club head comprising a wood body having a striking face and aflat bottom surface with parallel transversely tapered grooves disposedlongitudinally of the head and having longitudinally curved bottoms, theapex of the grooves being in approximately the plane of the verticalcenter of the striking face, a sole plate having ribs conformed to andfitting within said grooves, the forward edge of the plate being flushwith the striking face of the body.

3. A golf club head comprising a wood body having a bottom surface withparallel transversely tapered grooves disposed longitudinally of thehead and having longitudinally curved bottoms approximately centered atthe rear of the vertical center of the striking face, and a sole platesecured to said head and having ribs fitting within said grooves.

4. A golf club head comprising a wood body having a fiat bottom with aplurality of grooves therein, said grooves being transversely taperedand having longitudinally curved bottoms, and a sole plate secured uponsaid flat bottom and having ribs conformed to and closely fitting withinsaid grooves, the bottom of the plate being convexly curved.

5. A golf club head comprising a wood body having a bottom with groovesdisposed in crossing relation and centering in the plane of the verticalcenter of the striking face, the grooves being transversely tapered,their bottoms being longitudinally curved, and a sole plate secured tothe body and having ribs conforming to the grooves and closely fittingtherein.

LEONARD A. YOUNG.

